Can anyone ride a motorcycle?

[jboyd12]

Can anyone learn to ride a motorcycle? I don't mean your grandmother or your 5-year-old kid, I mean anyone in their 20s? I'm sure the learning curve will be different for everyone, but do you think that there are just some people who were never meant to ride? I've been thinking about this lately. Looking forward to your input.

[Mountain Dew]

As long as they don't have an acute fear of something related to riding, I see why not.

[greenaero]

Most people are physically capable of learning to operate a motorcycle . Some may lack the strength and coordination. In my opinion the bigger issues are not physical but mental.
1) Is the person really interested in riding or just the idea of riding? Are they motivated enough to learn and pursue the skills needed to be a good rider.
2) Do they have the ability to focus their attention while riding.
3) Do they have the guts to overcome their fears. Can they react in an effective manner or do they panic or over-react?
Motorcycling demands more than driving and those who are unwilling or unable to meet those demands shouldn't do it. My2 cents worth.

[nickjpass]

No. I've met people who are scared to ride a bicycle with training wheels. I don't see them riding that, let alone a motorcycle. If they have terrible coordination, they'd probably end up dead, or crippled before they learned.

[LoneRonin]

Anyone can learn to ride...

But not everyone can continue to do so successfully.

[Jiggles]

I don't think blind people can ride motorcycles. I'm not sure though, let me do some research and check some facts

[massacremasses]

Originally Posted by Jiggles

I don't think blind people can ride motorcycles. I'm not sure though, let me do some research and check some facts

[Reddoak]

No. Motorcycle riding is just out of some people's abilities. Most people who can't don't try.


The rest wreck.

[KJohnson21]

Technically, yes. Realistically, no.

As other members have commented, some people simply aren't meant to ride motorcycles, either due to limitations of physical or mental capabilities.

[koenigcitizen]

My fiancee expressed an interest that she wants to ride, so I have been thinking about that as well.

She is a tiny 95 lb girl.

I told her I want her to have one more year of driving experience (as she is a new driver), then take MSF course, and then we will talk. If I see that she is comfortable on a bike, I will give her a 250 as a present

It would be awesome to have her as a riding buddy though

[kcaja1]

Originally Posted by KJohnson21

Technically, yes. Realistically, no.

As other members have commented, some people simply aren't meant to ride motorcycles, either due to limitations of physical or mental capabilities.

+1
Some people are just not capable to handle the physical and/or mental requirement of riding.

[RaZeDaHeLL]

Everyone can learn, that does not mean that everyone should.

["A"]

How'bout those who are missing digits and/or limbs.. good number of them coming back from overseas in their mid 20's.

[RaZeDaHeLL]

Originally Posted by "A"

How'bout those who are missing digits and/or limbs.. good number of them coming back from overseas in their mid 20's.

There's a guy in my neighborhood with a prosthetic leg who still rides. He lost his leg in a motorcycle accident.

[gfloyd2002]

I'm with general consensus that almost everyone has the physical capability. With proper instruction and technique (and occassionally some bike mods), it is easy enough for almost anyone with the desire to learn and the right mental approach.

But that is the catch. People could have a mental block or fears that hold them back. My wife, who is physically capable of riding, has a healthy fear that blocks her combined with lack of patience to learn. She'll never be able to ride.

Seemed like a good place to put this:

Link to original page on YouTube.

[Chuffmonkey]

There was an older guy on my MSF course who had been riding a 250 scooter for a year. He struggled a lot, so half way through the first day the instructors took him off the motorbikes and got him to use his own scooter.
He still struggled. One of the scarier sights I've seen to be honest - knowing that this guy had been riding on public highways for a year already and still possessing such little control over his scooter.
I don't think that this guy will ever be able to ride a proper motorbike. I've known other people throughout my life with very little coordination who I think would struggle with the controls. If you can drive a manual car I'm pretty sure you have the faculties to ride a bike.

[Kevin2109]

Originally Posted by "A"

How'bout those who are missing digits and/or limbs.. good number of them coming back from overseas in their mid 20's.

Right......

Link to original page on YouTube.

["A"]

Use common sense guys, just because it can be done doesn't mean that it's a good idea.

[RedOctober]

When I was taking my MSF class, we had a guy show up. He was greek, so his bro was there to translate...but thats besides the point. Just by looking at him you could tell something was not quite right...blank stare, seems like someone kept on hitting him with a 2x4 every morning. But that's besides the point. Did not have a drivers license. Also besides the point.

He was eventually (on 2nd day) downgraded from a bike to a scooter. And then he got kicked out. We were doing the laps with S-boxes. I was in my box going though an S when I saw him sort of just casually blow by his box, ride all the way around, and simply just follow the line into my box, where I was doing the S. And just keep on rolling right towards me, looking straight at me. I stopped at that point, got on the horn and started yelling at him. About 3-4 yards away from me SOMETHING snapped in his head and he just realized the fact that he was coming towards someone.

We're not all created equal, some (and this guy was probably the bottom end of the curve) seem completely incapable of being able to look at the road, recognize where they are supposed to be, what to do, and do it. Everything must have happened very slow and serially for him.

His bro took him home and told the instructor that he would practice in the backyard or out on a dirt field somewhere. I hope I don't run into that 'tard anywhere.

[setasai]

Originally Posted by RedOctober

He was eventually (on 2nd day) downgraded from a bike to a scooter. And then he got kicked out. We were doing the laps with S-boxes. I was in my box going though an S when I saw him sort of just casually blow by his box, ride all the way around, and simply just follow the line into my box, where I was doing the S. And just keep on rolling right towards me, looking straight at me. I stopped at that point, got on the horn and started yelling at him. About 3-4 yards away from me SOMETHING snapped in his head and he just realized the fact that he was coming towards someone.

Dude! That's terrifying!

I agree with everybody else. Physically is one thing and unless that person is insanely small or insanely large, sure why not. Mentally is a totally different question. There are just some people that make crappy decisions all the time. Not the type of people that should be riding or driving.

[Racer x]

I had a friend that rode bicycles a lot . He wanted to ride a BMW to Alaska. I said he should take the MSF class and study riding. Ware all gear all the time. Then get a cruser to learn how to ride. He did everything right . Three months and he was killed when he turned in front of a van. I later found out he wrecked every car he ever owned. If I had known that I would have suggested he not ride motorcycles.

[lgk]

motorcycling is not meant for everyone...
other than basic necessities, few things in life are.

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by "A"

Use common sense guys, just because it can be done doesn't mean that it's a good idea.

use common sense guys, just because you can ride without a seatbelt, full cage and airbags around you doesn't mean that it's a good idea.


...... oh wait.

[akima]

My really rough, noobie, completely unsubstantiated guess, is that only ~50% of adults are of the right mental and physical state to be able to ride without problems. There are so many boxes that you need to tick in order to effectively command a bike:
[ ] Do you have good muscle-control for making small precise movements in your feet, wrists and fingers?
[ ] Do you have good muscle-control for making confident, broader movements with your arms legs and torso.
[ ] Do you have confidence in your own abilities? (Not everyone has the belief in themself they need to do something, despite the fact that they may be more than physically and mentally capable of doing it. I think this holds more women back than men. More of my girl friends than guy friends will shoot themselves down and talk themselves out of things. If you haven't developed that inner confidence before starting something then I think you're likely to be on a fast track to disaster if you try and ride a motorcycle out on public streets. I think if you have just enough confidence to do it then I think motorcycles can be a major confidence boost. Personally I find them quite self-empowering.)
[ ] Do you have the mindset that you must take charge of your own destiny and your own bike?... not just for operating your bike, but for fueling it, maintaining it, cleaning it, servicing it, listening to it and generally giving it all the love that it needs to keep you safely rolling. No one else is going to take responsibility for your bike (unless you're loaded!), so if you don't the bike may well let you down... and when it does and you crash it would be your own fault.
[ ] Are you able to overcome your fears of riding? As mentioned by other people, there seem to be so many opportunities a motorcycle presents you to act out of fear and subsequently end up in a bad situation. I love Keith Code's discussion of all the different fear reactions that riders will go through and how they all lead to disaster. I've experienced a fear-induced accident before where I panic'd and target fixated. I later overcame that mindset and fear in a very similar scenario, which aloud me to confidently move the bike the way it needed to be moved. I remember reading about how Alex completely lost the back end in a turn and was sliding around a corner, but instead of freaking out, grabbing brakes or bailing, he did what you're supposed to: stayed focused, stayed on the throttle and he rode it out.
[ ] Do you have the energy to ride. Like most people here I've driven cars and ridden motorcycles. It's a damn sight easier and requires much less energy to drive a car. Some people are more lethargic than others and may not have the energy needed to gear up, endure rain, high temperatures, near misses, powerful wind, bug splats and everything else. Personally I love it all!!

That's all I can think of for now. I know more people who can't tick all those boxes than people who can.

[koenigcitizen]

Originally Posted by akima

My really rough, noobie, completely unsubstantiated guess, is that only ~50% of adults are of the right mental and physical state to be able to ride without problems. There are so many boxes that you need to tick in order to effectively command a bike:
<SNIP>
That's all I can think of for now. I know more people who can't tick all those boxes than people who can.

Great post!!!!
+1

[mustang5.0]

my wife can barely drive a car.. there is no way she would be able to ride without a lot of coaching before the riding course

[blink]

Not an elephant

[blink]

Originally Posted by mustang5.0

my wife can barely drive a car.. there is no way she would be able to ride without a lot of coaching before the riding course

ahahahahhaha!

My gfs good with the car, and was very good first time bike.
But your reply made me think of probably 70% of the drivers I see everyday

Most don't know where the cars battery is.

[Jiggles]

Originally Posted by Kevin2109

Right......

Best way to cut down weight for track riding is to start amputating limbs.